Saturday, August 08, 2015

Knowing and Walking the Path -- Light and Sound on the Path

Welcome to this August, 2015 Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation Satsang Newsletter (Blog, Digest, Document, E-Booklet,) of much poetry and prose -- a word-count of over five thousand words from various spiritual Masters. Also below, in the ethics section, I present an exploration the question of the three categories of foods: Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic, vegetarianism, Guru Nanak and the Sikh scriptures. This also delves into the subject of drug/intoxicants. And since onions, garlic, eggplant, coffee and tea are not in the pure (Sattvic) category -- what about those? Enjoy all of the readings below. May they provide you with some helpful satsang reading material wherever you are in the world, near or far, and lead to a further exploration of the teachings of the Masters, including from lesser-known or newly translated material you may not have encountered before in English.

NOTE: If you're reading this post at Yahoo Groups and it's truncated, which occasionally happens, go to the blog archive linked above to read the contents of the post in full.

This Sant Mat Radhasoami E-Newsletter is dedicated to the Path of the Masters (Sant Satgurus of the Past, the Living Present, and Future), and to the Supreme Being, the Lord of the Soul Who is the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness, and explores the poetry, prose, spiritual discourses, books, scriptures, letters, prayers, ahimsa ethics, podcasts, videos, philosophy, cosmology, and history of the Masters from a traditional Indian perspective, and might also include quotes from various world religions in harmony with the Way of the Saints, the Path of the Masters and Mystics.

"What's the use of receiving this human form if we do not serve others in thought, word, and deed. If we hold our thoughts only on worldly material things and refuse to think of that which is higher and more subtle, then our faith in the Transcendental will inevitably diminish." ("Quintessence of Yoga: Secret of All Success", a Sant Mat publication)﻿

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"There is a vast difference between knowing The Path and walking The Path." (Morpheus, The Matrix)

To the extent you are genuine, Nature shall honour you with endowments and provide you with Her appropriate privileges. You see this every day; then, what more do you want? Just try wholeheartedly to be genuine. Does the university honour anyone with a degree unless he has studied and passed? ... If you have seen and understand Truth, it will surely burst forth in your thought, word and deed. You will know no rest until you are lost in it. Can darkness cover the sun?" (Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra, Book of SATYANUSARAN -- The Pursuit of Truth)﻿

"The desire of an individual to be free from sufferings and to attain the happiness of absolute peace is naturally present in the hearts of all. The purpose of Sant Mat [the Teachings of the Masters] is to provide a system which fulfills the desires of attaining absolute peace." -- Maharshi Mehi Paramhans, Philosophy of Liberation (Moksha Darshan)

﻿Master's Day/Guru Purnima is Dedicated to Celebrating Living Masters/Spiritual Teachers

"To show the students the correct path, to help them increase their inner strength, to give them good advice, to keep them on the right path, to assist them when in need, to protect them from obstacles, to bring them to the right path even using sternness or harsh treatment, these are the responsibilities of a true teacher. It is the teachers' responsibility to see the students' success in the journey from the beginning to the end. Therefore, a student needs to seek the teachers' advice throughout his life." (Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj, The Inward Journey of the Soul) ﻿

The Mystic Poetry and Hymns of the Padavali

The Maharshi Mehi mystic-poems below are from the Book of Padavali, a collection of hymns/bhajans to be sung or read on a daily basis. It is for those in the Tulsi Sahib/Maharshi Mehi world of Sant Mat an essential daily practice to recite certain prescribed Padavali hymns. It is a great practice that gives some sense of structure and discipline in one's daily life that promotes meditating thrice-daily (morning, mid-day, and evening). It is the equivalent of the Bahai Book of Prayers, contemplative or monastic "Book of Hours" -- for those who are Sikh: the Adi Granth, or for Dadu Panthis: the Panch Vani. I should post more from the Padavali and work with this text more closely. Reading the Padavali is so nice, as these hymns have much more specific instructions or guidance compared with most other collections of hymns/banis/bhajans.

Seek the Light within,

Any devotee with the inner vision has seen that Light,

One must learn the secrets from the Master, serving his lotus-feet,

Day and night, keeping one’s consciousness focused at the point between

the two eyebrows [Third Eye Center],

The darkness is gone and there comes in front of the eyes

Colours like yellow, blue, red, white and black;

Lightning flashes with their flickers and the morning star is seen,

The Moon rises and the Sun too climbs up,

And thus the Quintessential One is perceived;

At the feet of the Absolute and the Master,

The devotee comes to know all about these secrets,

Various kinds of deeds in the world entrap this life;

Baba Devi Sahib has revealed to Mehi that only God and Guru deliver souls

Living in bondage in this world.

-- Maharshi Mehi, Padavali # 61﻿

The Birthright of Each Soul is to Spiritually See, Hear and Ascend

"Every human being is within his or her right to transcend all the layers of nature: darkness, light and sound, through devotion to God by taking recourse to spiritual practices such as Maanas Jap ([simran] mentally repeating with eyes closed some holy word instructed secretly by the spiritual preceptor), Maanas Dhyaan (concentration and meditation over some holy figure with eyes closed as instructed secretly by one's spiritual preceptor), Dristi Saadhan (the yoga of inner seeing or Light), and Surat Shabda-Yoga [the yoga of inner [transcendental] hearing or Sound], and to attain salvation through re-identifying with the Supreme. (The Principles of Santmat, excerpted from Maharshi Mehi's "Padaavali")

O Master! Let my consciousness ascend to the sky;

And kindly allow me catch the current of the True Melody

(Sar Shabd, Sat Dhun) that is the Quintessential One.

After letting me to catch the support of your radiant being,

May I have a glimpse of your highly resplendent vision.

(Maharshi Mehi, from Padavali Hymn Number 20)﻿

Hail to the Saints -- The Nirguna Bhakti Sants of India -- Sant Mat (Path of the Masters, The Way of the Saints, Mystics of the East)

Why are You not grasped by senses, though You enliven the Individual Soul[2]? ||1||

You pervade every particle of the body from top to toes. |

Yet why are You not caught though You fill every atom of Cosmos? ||2||

All forms are Yours, still You are Formless!

Subtler are mind and intellect, why even these are helpless? ||3||

As space spreads evenly, within and without a pot. |

So You permeate all, yet why aren't You perceived? ||4||

Between You and own Self, he who can erase the dualism ...|

All his doubts, O Mehi, get dissolved; he becomes You and You become him. ||5||

_______

NOTES:

[1] The eyes appear to be seeing, but actually these derive the power to see from the current of consciousness connected to God. If that current of consciousness leaves the eyes they are rendered useless. Hence, God, whose current of consciousness keeps pervading all our senses, has been referred as the spark or the jewel of eyes.

[2] Individual Soul is also called Jiva-atma. It refers to the un-liberated Individual Soul. The Pure Soul when attached with the ephemeral antaHkaran or internal organs (Mind, Intellect, Chitta and Ego) is termed as Jiva-atma or Un-liberated Individual Soul. Though the Soul is unchanging, indestructible and beyond changing states of pain and pleasure, the Jiva-atma because of its association with the mind, intellect, etc... becomes trapped into a state of illusory bondage and also experiences pain and pleasure and undergoes the painful transmigratory cycle. If the Individual Soul can, tactfully, shed all the illusory veils that keep it shrouded, it comes into its pure state which is the same as that of God, ending all dualistic experiences. That tact which helps the Soul regain its free state is inner meditation.

An English translation of a verse (verse No. 34) composed by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans Ji Maharaj taken from his book "Mehi Padavali" (Elixir Verses of Maharshi Mehi).

Prose: Instruction: Do Not Allow Materialism to Interfere With Your Spirituality

"Silence has been given a prominent place in the life of a devotee. The true devotee always keeps and hides his spiritual aspirations and feelings from the eyes of the public. There is no show and exhibitionism in his life. He spends most of his time in solitude contemplating Satguru's form and Repetition of His Holy name [the sacred name given by him at the time of initiation]. He observes his mind and seeing its defects, repents and prays. Except this, he does not allow his spiritual strength to be weakened by other worldly acts. He knows that indulging too much in the worldly affairs beyond the requirement will harm his spiritual interests, and precious time will be wasted. He is always unattached in the world, sitting in a secluded place and absorbed in the memory of his Beloved Master. He applies a sticker on his mouth, because unless the mouth is closed, switching off mind is not possible. If we do not close the external doors, internal doors will not be closed.

"Those who do not give importance to this spiritual principle will be failing in their endeavor. Spirituality is a matter of seriousness. It requires stability of body and mind. You have to create an atmosphere of solitude in your own place, so that the greatness and glory of the Supreme Being is bestowed on you and you will be able to listen to the Spiritual Sound [Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Sound Meditation].

"The blending of materialism and spirituality is right to a certain extent but if further liberty is given, materialism dominates and occupies more place resulting in the negligence of spiritual pursuits... Your aim should be to achieve spirituality. Do not allow too much materialism to interfere in your spirituality."

"It is not possible to have immoral conduct and also have true spiritual experiences on the inward path -- both simply cannot coexist. Can one with a corrupt mind focus in meditation? Can the mind of a practitioner who is immoral find true concentration? Can those who speak ill of others regularly focus their mind in tranquility? The two are mutually exclusive. Those who are jealous will have the same problem. How can those who have no control of their senses find a glimpse of the inner spiritual experiences? Can an angry person encounter tranquil experiences? Can the greedy person get rid of the mind’s agitation? Can an arrogant person grasp the purity of Divine Light? Being a person of anger also disqualifies one from such experiences. Deep attachment will leave a practitioner incapable of focusing or concentrating during meditation. Can a person deafened by his or her ego hear the inner Celestial Sounds? How will one who is always looking to be honored be able to honor others? The one who is looking for honor and titles and respect cannot accomplish samadhi. Can one who performs wrongful acts be able to concentrate on the pure image of the Divine? Can one who desires sensory pleasures yearn for God’s love? Can someone who holds animosity for others be able to tread the pure path leading to inner Divine experience? If we are caught in the above traps it will not be possible to have genuine Divine experiences. Success comes from perseverance, and to those who are able to avoid the above-mentioned obstacles. Therefore, know the particulars of the inner path from an accomplished guru and then begin the path of meditation, otherwise your efforts will be wasted." (Swami Vyasanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul -- Chal Hamsa Nij Desh: O, Swan-Soul Return to Your Abode, Amazon Kindle E Book, & Amazon India).﻿

Intense Love and Yearning

"Love for and faith in the Supreme Being Radhasoami Dayal [the Compassionate Lord of the Soul] and Sant Sat Guru will gradually go on increasing in the company of sincere and devoted Abhyasis (meditation practitioners). Bliss and joy will also be experienced in the performance of Abhyas [meditation practices]. If love and yearning are intense, the Sant Sat Guru will, by His Will, grant His Darshan [Vision] and Grace. He will advance the practitioner in his Abhyas by helping him internally as well as externally." (Huzur Maharaj)﻿

Meditation As A Bhakti Practice Done With Love For God

"It is impossible that intense love, devotion, and single-focused dedication will not manifest the Divine in the heart of the devotee... The One (God) who rules the universe becomes your assistant, as has been described in many tales. Drawn to the Bhakti of the devotee, the Divine submits to that devotee... Love is that meditation or method that makes the impossible possible. That which is harsh becomes gentle; the enemy becomes friend; the weak become strong; the concealed becomes revealed. Even though it is said that it takes many lifetimes to realize the Divine, if a devotee performs sadhana [meditation practice] with true, unwavering devotion, then the Divine will manifest at that moment." (Swami Vyasanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul -- Chal Hamsa Nij Desh: O, Swan-Soul Return to Your Abode, a New Sant Mat Amazon E-Book)﻿

"The meaning of steadfast practice is as follows: until the goal of a task has been realized and manifested it is important to not impede the speed and steadfastness of the practice. Even though countless obstructions and challenges emerge we should remain diligent in the intensity of action to achieve the goal. We should even further increase our determination. During the task of sadhana [meditation practice] one should see the goal alone and should think of nothing else. The action of sadhana should be embraced with a firm commitment. Quick expectation of results for the goal should be eschewed. During the process and action of meditation, the mind should be fully absorbed in the task, i.e., the mind fully engaged in the action of sadhana. During any sadhana undertaking, one should keep the mind disciplined and on the task of meditation. When one is distracted she or he should bring the mind resolutely and continuously back to the task of concentration.

"Steadfastness means firm, immovable, and strong. Practice means diligent repetition of an action and constant effort. Here we use the word steadfastness with practice because often when practitioners direct their minds to meditation, the mind wanders toward worldly things. The practitioners should repeatedly refocus their mind on meditation whenever the mind strays into worldly thoughts. This state of diligent struggle is known as steadfast practice.

"Sage Patanjali calls this practice Pratyahara. Lord Krishna elaborates this subject to the Sage Narada: 'The mind which is unsteady and fickle and wanders around, should be stopped by the practitioner and repeatedly brought back to focus on God.' He further states: 'The mind wanders around struck by the infliction of desires, but a learned person should bring the mind back to the goal of concentration.'

"Many Sants like Sant Kabir, Sant Paltu, Shri Tulsi Das, Maharshi Mehi, and the devotee Mira Bai elucidate on this struggle with the mind. In their teachings they all instruct the practitioner to fight the inner combat of the mind diligently and bring their mind constantly back to the object of meditation. In this way, a constant struggle between sensory attractions and the inner contemplation continues in the mind of the practitioner. Whoever succeeds in this struggle becomes victorious and is known as a steadfast practitioner. And those who get defeated wander from life to life..." (Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj, The Inward Journey of the Soul, Amazon E Book)

Ethics: Sikh And You Will Find: The Vegetarian Diet, Sikh Gurus and Scriptures, A Collection of Passages, Compiled by James Bean

Some have suggested that the Sikh Scriptures are not very clear on vegetarianism, the need to strictly adhere to a vegetarian diet for spiritual and ethical reasons. Let’s have a look. There are numerous vegetarian passages preserved in the Sikh Scriptures (Adi Granth, Shri Guru Granth Sahib) and related Sikh texts -- quotes from Guru Nanak, Kabir, Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Gobind Singh and others. I’ve also included quotes from Bhai Gurdaas Ji and a Persian historian and scholar of comparative religion who wrote about Guru Nanak and the early Sikhs -- how the original disciples were all vegetarians.

Vegetarian Diet and the Sikh Gurus: Nanak abstained from animal food and enjoined against cruelty to animals: “Having prohibited his disciples to drink wine and eat pork, he (Nanak) himself abstained from eating flesh and ordered not to hurt any living being.” (Mohsin Fani, DABISTAN-E-MAZAHIB) "Countless are the cutthroats who trade in violence. Countless are sinners who keep on sinning. Countless are liars, wandering lost in their lies. Countless are the impious who live on unwholesome food." (Guru Nanak, Jap Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 4) "You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103). "Kabeer says, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent when flavored with salt. Who would cut throats to have meat with his bread?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1374) "Kabeer: for those who consume marijuana, fish and wine, no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all be consigned to hell". (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1377). "One who does not steal, commit adultery, slander anyone, gamble, eat meat or drink wine will be liberated in this very life (i.e. Jeewan Mukt)". (Guru Gobind Singh, 10th Sikh Guru, Sudharam Marag Granth)

Vegetarian Diet and the Sikh Gurus -- More: "Living by neglect and greed, the world eats dead carcasses. Like a goblin or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat. Control your urges, or else you will be thrown into the tortures of hell." (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 723). Bhai Gurdaas Ji said: "They eat meat by cutting throats, what will their own condition be?" (Vaar 24, Pauree 17) "To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef. Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us if we do not eat those carcasses. By mere talk, people do not earn Liberation. Salvation only comes from the practice of truth. By adding spices to forbidden foods, they are not made acceptable. O Nanak, from false talk, only falsehood is obtained." (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 141) "You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? You call yourself the excellent sage; then whom would you call a butcher?" (Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 1103). "You keep your fasts to please Allah, while you murder other beings for pleasure. You look after your own interests, and so not see the interests of others. What good is your word? O Qazi, the One Lord is within you, but you do not think or contemplation on Him. You do not care for others, you are mad about religion, this is why your life is wasting away." (Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 483)

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670--1716)

"On 3rd September 1708, Guru Gobind Singh Ji administered the vows and Amrit (blessed nectar) to Madho Das, a Hindu Sadhu or ascetic, and gave him a new name, Banda Singh. At the same time, he gave Banda Singh a Nagara (war drum), Nishan Sahib (banner) and five arrows from his own quiver as symbols of Authority. Banda Singh was also accompanied by five Sikhs to assist him to build up his forces so as to repel the tyranny of the Mughal Empire."

"Ek Ongkar Fateh Darshan. By the order of the true king, all the Khalsa of Jaunpur will be protected by Guru ji, Pray to the Guru for he will improve your life. You are God’s Khalsa, wear the five weapons and on being ordered, present yourself. You must obey the principals of the Khalsa. You are not to consume hemp, tobacco, opium, poppy seeds or alcoholic drinks. You are not to eat meat, fish and onions. You must not steal. We usher in a new era, Satjug -- the Age of Truth. Love one another. This is my order, those who should live according to the principals of the Khalsa will be protected by God. Dated 12 Poh samvat pahela 1 ( = 12 December 1710)"

A couple of voices have suggested that there should be two Sant Mat's: one for the East and different one for the West minus the ethical standards. But despite false claims, "Nobody can become Guru automatically by himself." (Huzur Maharaj, Radhasoami Mat Updesh, # 54) One doesn't become a Guru by faking their own resume'. And there is no longitude and latitude of the Spirit, or ethical differences based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, etc.... The universe is indeed a big place, and ethical principles of non-violence are quite universal. Masters, East or West, such as Jesus (as revealed in the Gospel of the Hebrews and earliest Jewish texts), Pythagoras, Apollonius of Tyana, Valentinus, Mani, Rumi, Mahavira, Guru Nanak, Kabir, etc... have always made vegetarianism a central ethical precept.

Jesus/Yeshua ("West"): "Now beware in yourselves that your hearts do not become heavy with the eating of flesh and with the intoxication of wine and with the anxiety of the world, and that day come up upon you suddenly; for as a snare it will come upon all them that dwell on the surface of the Earth." (Jesus, Luke 21:34, Syriac-Aramaic manuscript of the New Testament Gospels)

Sawan Singh ("East"): "I must point out that animal food, even if a single particle is eaten, is detrimental to spiritual progress."

Drugs-Intoxicants & Meat-Eating Is Forbidden by Guru Nanak and Other True Spiritual Masters, But What About Onions and Other Foods in the "Rajasic" Category Mentioned Above?

According to Ayurveda [and schools of yoga and meditation], India’s classic medical science, "foods are grouped into three categories: sattvic, rajasic and tamasic -- foods in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Onions and garlic, and the other alliaceous plants are classified as rajasic and tamasic, which means that they increase passion."

Email to Pravesh K. Singh About This Issue: 'Dear Pravesh: Here are a couple of questions for you about Sattvik, Tamasic, and Rajasic. Caffeine drinks are considered Rajasic. Are those prohibited? I know they are inside the Maharshi Mehi Ashram, but there are tea stands outside or nearby the ashram -- where people sometimes go to get tea. A bit unclear. OK for householders to have tea or coffee but not for sadhus? Or just close to meditation time? For some, onions, garlic, mushrooms and eggplant are prohibited Rajasic foods, and yet are non-intoxicating plant based foods. I know Soami Bagh, a Radhasoami group in Agra does not approve of satsangis eating onions and garlic, but, as far as I know, other Sant Mat groups have NO BAN ON ONIONS AND GARLIC. Someone was asking me about these questions and thought you would be good to ask about this.'

Pravesh: "The restrictions for those who have taken to a life of a recluse [Sanyasi, sadhu, monk] are stricter in comparison to those meant for the house-holders. While invigorating drinks tea, coffee, etc... and food items like onion, garlic, hard spices etc... -- even salt content is kept to a bare minimum or even absent -- are proscribed for Sanyasis as they make practising continence and keeping the monkey-mind’s restlessness under check all the more difficult, these are not banned for common house-holders. Since the ashram is meant mainly for living of monks or those who have drifted away from leading a normal family life and aspire to become Sanyasis (house-holders are allowed to stay as visitors for just a few days), tea/coffee stalls are not allowed within ashram premises.

Commentary: "Time" has some heavy metaphysical baggage in our school of spirituality. The circle of Time is the realm of the Negative Power, Kal Niranjan, the Demiurge of the Gnostics, a false god and cosmic accountant keeping score of our karmic sins and finding all to come up short in a rigged system designed to keep souls right where they are incarnation after incarnation, a debtor's prison of souls. Time is the cruel hand of fate, the oppressive influence of the stars. The circle of Love is far beyond all those archon rulers. It is the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness.

Masters say it is a good idea to meditate everyday to lighten the load of karma. The inner currents of Sound and Light wash away karma and give us more Divine Grace, thus uplifting our destiny to the highest good. The Force known as Shabd Naam (Divine Sound and Light) coming from Above, busts into the world of time and space, freeing souls from the law of karma. We become what we see. If we contemplate the Light of God....we become That. (Editor)

"Recognize all humanity as one. All are of one form and all are the creation of the One." (Guru Gobind Singh)﻿